Fair Game (2010)

“I'm only doing my job.” This is one of the most well-worn lines of dialogue in modern literature, especially when it is related to reporters. We are all familiar with the weathered, hard-nosed journalist in films, whose efforts help the working-class fight back against an oppressive government and the upper-class societies who serve to keep them afloat. It is a little confronting to be on the other side of this battle in 'Fair Game', as we witness the complete dissection of both a career and a marriage of a government employee under the spotlight of the media.

The story centres around Agent Valerie Plame, played by Naomi Watts. She portrays the character as self-reliant, often to the detriment of her outside relationships. It is apparent that she is a woman that has given her all to the service of her government. Watts effectively portrays the inner conflict of a woman struggling to maintain an outward appearance of strength for her children whilst trying to resolve a clashing of ideals internally. For a main character, she has very little internal dialogue, meaning the audience finds her motives and opinions in the conversations she has with other characters, as well as her body language. The audience can divine the majority of her character's emotions simply by watching her facial expressions throughout the movie, which is a testament to the strength of Watts' technique. Sean Penn plays Joe Wilson, Plame's husband. It was the government's falsification of his report from the start of the film that sparks the conflict. He is as stubborn and strong-willed as his wife, and it is their conversations that provide the human side of the characters. Most of the discussions with people in the government and assets in the field are laced with lies and subtext, as is to be expected in a spy film. Without the more open, emotional discussions between Plame and Wilson as husband and wife, this film would have begun to drag substantially by the end. It is the balance between these characters that ensures they remain compelling throughout the film.

The film is presented as an expose for America's military interests in Iraq. However, I felt the more important issue was the ease with which American media could be twisted and manipulated to serve the needs of the government. Whereas governments have suppressed media in past war efforts to protect their interests, this film shows that modern times dictate another path. In an era where internet and mobile phones facilitate unbroken streams of news, it seems more beneficial to feed irresistible news to the masses and distract them rather then fruitlessly try and keep secrets from the omnipresent eye of mass media. This film serves as a warning to the public about the dangers of an unstoppable media system, as well as the importance of being informed as an individual. The apparent ease with which the general public was turned against the truth was frightening.

One of the most effective scenes in the film is actually as the credits start to roll and the scene transitions smoothly into the news footage from the actual court hearing. It helps to drive home the fact that this was not a fiction. This is not a spy film where secret government agencies bring down evil warlords in distant lands; it is a retelling of the time the President of the United States told a barefaced lie in his address to the nation, which almost lead to the destruction of a loyal government servant and her family. This was one of the most frightening films I have ever seen.

The American (2010)

Fans of the thriller genre, beware. Although marketed as an action-packed spy film, 'The American' spends less time chasing shady individuals through dimly-lit alleyways and more time indulging in the majestic scenery of sunny Italy. This may not be the movie many people are expecting, but hopefully audiences can move past their preconceptions about the film and enjoy this slow-paced, eye-catching love letter to the Italian countryside.

George Clooney stars as Jack, a man with a shadowy past and quiet demeanour. Most people will find this a little unsettling, as Clooney is usually associated with charismatic roles, but the change-of-pace provided in this film demonstrates his dramatic range. The manner with which he speaks is short and sharp, whilst he appears more concerned with not being noticed then anything else. His reserved nature is offset by animated conversations is drawn into with the various Italian characters. Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) is one of the first countrymen that Jack encounters after arriving in the village of Abruzzo. He is a wonderful character that quickly transcends the 'wise old man' role that I initially assumed he would fall into by being unexpectedly assertive when introducing himself to Jack. He shows a worldly understanding that comes as a shock, considering the isolation with which the town itself is presented. The other character of note is Clara (Violante Placido). She works in a local brothel which Jack starts visiting shortly after he arrives. Before long, a bond is formed between the two that goes beyond their physical relationship and Jack makes moves to leave his 'work' behind and start a new life with Clara. Clara and Jack are similar in many ways: they are both strong, independent and have questionable backgrounds. It is an unconventional relationship in unconventional circumstances yet the honesty in the interactions between the two characters makes the relationship feel completely natural, not convoluted.

The actors do a fine job, but there are two other stars of this show. The first is the script, which manages to do more with less seemingly effortlessly. There is very little dialogue in the film but we as an audience do not feel cheated. The characters do not rely on long bouts of exposition to establish the backgrounds of their particular characters. Rather, there is enough implied through subtext to satisfy the audience. This is important because it allows economy of script, giving the characters more time to interact with other characters in the present. This helps maintain the pace of the film, which is important considering the second star of the show: the cinematography. The sweeping views of the city are lengthy and stunning. Every frame is immaculately designed to show off the colours and architecture of the old buildings, cobbled paths and the mountains that surround them. Interior scenes are shot with the same love and care. Small cafes and lavish restaurants are shown in contrast to the workshop that Jack has turned his room into, all of which helps to give flavour to the wider surroundings.

There is no denying that 'The American' will be too slow for some. There is very little emphasis on action and the tone is unlike the majority of films that filter through to the worldwide stage. However, for others it will be a breath of fresh air. The charm of this film is undeniable.

Red (2010)

Most people who goes to see 'Red' know exactly what they are getting themselves into. A light-hearted action comedy featuring a parade of commercially and critically lauded stars? It is a pretty easy commitment to make. The more unexpected parts of the movie are the strength of the supporting cast and the overall slickness of the script itself. This movie was virtually guaranteed to be enjoyable due to the cast alone but, admirably, it has aspired to be more.

As expected, the main cast are uniformly brilliant. Every time Frank Moses(Bruce Willis) encounters an old acquaintance, the air becomes thick with implied relationships and past experiences. The bond between the characters in the film is really an allegory to their relationships as actors: they all have been hardened professionally from their years of experience in the business. A sense of mutual respect resonates throughout the film. The audience knows all of these older actors and, as such, quickly engages with their characters in the context of the film. It does not take long for us to start imagining their working together when they were younger, giving a tremendous depth to the characters without the need to bloat the script with lengthy scenes of exposition.

Impressively, the other actors manage to complement the top billing very well. Mary Louise-Parker plays Sarah Ross, a lonely middle-aged woman who manages to get tangled up in the spy games around her. Her character is unexpectedly endearing compared to the 'damsel in distress' that I was expecting. Louise-Parker plays her as a strong willed woman with a (somewhat unsettlingly) positive outlook on the dangerous events in the film. Her face often fills up with childlike wonder as she imagines the excitement of life on the road with a spy- not the usual weak-willed, throw away love interest! Karl Urban, who plays FBI Agent Cooper, is one of the youngest members of the cast but has an extremely impressive presence on the screen. His introduction scene blends a cold physical exterior with an emotional personality as he calmly talks to his family on the phone whilst assassinating a target: something that may sound cheesy on paper but works extremely well given the tone of the film.

The primary reason that the characters are so important is that the script is surprisingly dialogue-heavy. When the action scenes come they are short and snappy, never outstaying their welcome. This means that the characters themselves carry the film, rather then the cinematography. I found myself in a similar situation as to when I saw 'Iron Man' a few years ago, where I found myself more interested in a phone conversation between characters then the action sequence that followed it. To my mind, this is a healthy direction for films as it allows the focus to be put more on acting and less on expensive special effects and frills. In most films the technical side should be supporting the acting, not the other way around. Action films have traditionally been particularly guilty on cutting corners with scripts in favour of extra explosions, and I am grateful that 'Red' did not.

The Social Network (2010)

It is pretty unbelievable to think that a movie about the creation of 'Facebook' would be anything but dry. That is why this film is so successful: it manages to take subject matter that wouldn't be very appealing to most people and make it thoroughly engaging. A lot of this was made possible through creative liberties, ensuring that the story progresses at a decent clip without becoming overly complicated.

The concept of old vs new is the core of the film. The 'old' educational institution of Harvard is shown as being ignorant of the importance of 'Facebook' and social networking in general, whilst the younger students at Harvard focus on personal projects rather then course outlines. Watching 'Facebook' grow in the dorm rooms of Harvard as the students skip classes and coursework elicits a feeling of freedom. Likewise, 'old' business is portrayed as outdated and backward-thinking compared to the progressive, individualistic nature of the modern generation: listening to the way that 'Napster' changed the operation of the music business is indicative of this. The 'new' is neatly encapsulated in the main character, Mark Zuckerburg (Jesse Eisenberg). He is a social recluse whose college life seems to be very different from that of his fellow students'. The irony comes from the fact that Zuckerburg understands social society better then anyone else in the film: the website is successful because he knows exactly what college people want to know about each other, such as their 'relationship status'. Eisenburg plays him very cautiously: it would have been very easy to exaggerate the extent of Zukerburg's awkwardness, making him appear autistic or otherwise. Instead, Zuckerburg appears aware of his surroundings, but also very focused and determined to achieve his goals. His goals often come at the expense of his relationships, but Zuckerburg is shown as aware of this rather then simply being oblivious. It is a very brave choice, as it makes the main character significantly less likeable then if he was simply unaware of the problems he was causing. Personally, I still felt myself in Zuckerburg's corner, if only for the drive he was shown to have. As the most self-motivated character in the film, his own sense of morality is often shown as being different, but not necessarily worse.

The tone of the movie suggests that it is trying to appeal to two specific audiences. One is the group of people who are already aware of the history of the website and want to see how it has been appropriated into a film. The other set of people it seems to be approaching are those who have disregarded 'Facebook' as a toy or fad. It is these people who the film is trying to reach, not in a judgemental or critical way, but in an educational sense. I would guess that few people would have expected to hear the volume of money that passes through the company: the numbers thrown around in the interview scenes with the lawyer are staggering. One of the best examples of this is when Zuckerburg becomes fed up with a particularly invasive line of questioning and reminds them that, whilst he doesn't generally care for money, he has spare change enough simply to buy the companies that are suing him if he was so inclined. This is a striking wake-up call in the middle of the film: the person in the scene who actually wields the most power is not an adult in a suit, but a young guy in a hoodie.

This movie shows the 'Facebook' company staring down traditional business conglomerates in a similar fashion to the way the 'Beatles' shook up the music world in the Sixties. Watching something new having a ripple effect on the rest of the world is both unsettling and awe-inspiring, and this film provides the window to see just how important both 'Facebook' and the concepts powering it truly are.

The Town (2010)

Criminal characters in films are often portrayed in a glitzy, glamorous fashion. This is especially true of American films, where movies such as 'Ocean's 11' portrayed its rogue gallery almost the same way as they would a baseball team: pet names, endearing traits and a general sense of their actions being mischievous rather then harmful. In this sense, 'The Town' is a very brave film as it doesn't sugar-coat the actions of the criminals, regardless of their role as the central characters in the film. Instead, the audience is constantly made aware of the repercussions of their actions.

The setting is Charlestown, which is given almost as much character as the actors give their personas. The majority of the characters are from the 'Projects', a very bleak part of town that appears to be a series of run-down apartment blocks. The slums and bars are depressing in their squalor and is is obvious that the people who live there have developed an attitude of 'us and them' regarding the wealthier inhabitants of the city. We are told at the very beginning of the film that Charlestown produces a huge number of bank robbers year on year, as if the trade is passed down father to son. This is evidenced by the main character, Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck.), whose father is in jail for the same crimes that his son is now committing. We follow MacRay as he leads a crew through a series of robberies, whilst trying to reconcile this secret life with the one he hopes to have with his new girlfriend, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), who happened to be involved with an earlier crime. Although the film is about crime, the majority of time is spent with the characters in their lives outside of the actual robberies. Watching the way they live and seeing how the culture of Charlestown has influenced their lives gives great depth to the characters, allowing the audience to feel a sense of personal engagement with characters that would otherwise had been unlikable and, therefore, expendable.

The main strength of the film is in its portrayal of the characters. MacRay is forced to divide his loyalties between various people and sacrifice things on both sides. We are also introduced to the notion that, even if he can escape with Claire, he probably does not deserve to. It is this idea that really hits home: the characters in the film are accountable. Their past actions are not absolved because they suddenly find a life outside of crime. We are not encouraged to root for the criminals, as even MacRay finds their methods and attitudes increasingly deplorable. The FBI is not portrayed as a self-serving agency, but rather a force for good. The audience is given space to decide for themselves what the criminals deserve, which for many will mirror the outcome of the movie.

If you go into this movie expecting the slick dialogue and chemistry of 'Ocean's 11', you will be very disappointed. Then again, that would be akin to seeing 'Titanic' and expecting a straight-faced documentary of the voyage: it completely misses the purpose of the film. 'The Town' is a serious look at the motivations and backgrounds of a very select group of criminals, forcing the audience to examine their own ideas of morality and law.

Let Me In (2010)

It is difficult to find a decent 'review' of 'Let Me In'. Most of them spend the entire time debating the ethics and need for a (virtually) shot-by-shot remake of a foreign film. As such, they miss the whole point: telling people whether they enjoyed the movie or not. As someone who hasn't yet had the chance to see the original movie in its entirety yet (not an easy task for someone living in Australia, short of pirating the original movie), a wide release in a format more comfortable to myself is greatly appreciated. This is what I like to think of as the main reasoning behind the remake: giving the original film a better chance of being seen by a greater audience.

The two main characters in the story are a young boy, Owen, and a young 'girl', Abby. Owen is played by Kodi Smit-McPhee as an awkward young boy who struggles when relating to others. It is a testament to the strength of both his acting and the script itself that we find him endearing rather then unsettling: he spies on neighbouring apartments using a telescope, steals money from his mother for sweets and practices stabbing the school bullies to death with a knife on the tree outside his block of apartments. We are drawn to him by his social standing as the underdog, the 'weak kid' who gets picked on at school with little hope hope of redemption. There are darker aspects of his character that clearly separate him from the sickly-sweet 'troubled teens' who populate the majority of Hollywood films. When Abby arrives in his block of flats, she is portrayed as a troubled youth, through her lack of shoes and socially awkward demeanour. She is played by Chloe Moretz, who manages to tread the line between innocence and maturity very successfully. There are clear parallels between Abby and Owen, making their relationship seem organic rather then simply a plot point.

The focus of the film is on the development of Owen's personality. After Abby tells him to stand up for himself, we can see that her presense has caused a dramatic shift in his self-confidence. The reason the film is so compelling is that the audience is constantly questioning their own sense of morality. We are often encouraged to be on the side of Abby and Owen, then confronted with a tremendously violent scene that demonstrates that horrible things will be done to innocent (and not so innocent) people because of Owen and Abby's actions. The film does a great job of showing the two sides of Abby, startling the audience by the speed with which she can move from a savage animal to an innocent young girl. Watching Owen hugging Abby without regard to her bloodstained clothing is heart-warming in a very strange way. It is this sort of scene that brings conflicting emotions to the surface in the audience, which is something that the movie does very often to great effect.

The film doesn't draw a clear line between good and evil, which proves to be a good thing. Grey areas are usually more interesting then plain black and white. This film doesn't just dabble in grey areas: it wallows in them, daring the audience to follow. That is commendable in any movie, whether the characters speak English, Swedish or Chinese.

Buried (2010)

In the first five minutes of 'Buried', I was searching the screen for some way for the main character to kill themselves. This should give some indication of how effective the film is in evoking a sense of fear from the audience. In much the same way as 'Paranormal Activity' succeeded last year, 'Buried' manipulates the primal fears inherent in every member of the audience. There are no cheap shocks or monster costumes in this movie: the tension during the film is built slowly, organically and relentlessly. Regardless of whether you are claustrophobic in real life or not, you will leave the cinema gasping for breath.

Ryan Reynolds is the star of the show, but in a way that many people have not experienced before. The handsome leading man is not an action hero or college stud, but rather a lowly truck driver named Paul Conroy, who is having an extraordinarily bad day. The entire film is shot inside the box, leading the viewer themselves to feel closed in and claustrophobic. Most of the time, the audience's sightline is restricted to a similar field of view to that of Reynolds' character. There are many close up shots where Reynolds takes up virtually the entire frame, helping to add to the feeling of being closed in. Occasionally, when there is a few seconds reprieve from the intensity of the situation, the audience is offered a surreal view of the coffin where the camera is pulled back a long distance. Rather then allowing room for people to breathe, this actually heightens the sense of claustrophobia, as we see Reynolds' hunched form engulfed in a sea of black. A lot of critics have found this aspect of the camerawork to be the weakest aspect of the film for them, but I found it to be hugely effective.

The pressure was on Reynolds to carry the film and he definitely delivers. There is a lot of depth and colour to his performance, as we see him waver between calm rationality and explosive fear. All other characters are represented through the mobile phone that was left in the box with Paul. These include his wife, the personnel manager of his company and the leader of the hostage rescue team on his case. There is very little exposition about Paul's past and it is up to the audience to infer what they need to from the conversations he has over the phone with people. It is refreshing to find a film that doesn't hold the audiences hand and explain things over and over: it is assumed that people will be able to understand everything that is going on by themselves.

'Buried' is not a fun summer movie: it is not something to go out on a date to, or go in a group to laugh at the screen. Rather, it is a serious film that makes sure that you leave in a different state of mind to when you went in: a little more grateful for the luxuries we enjoy.

The Other Guys (2010)

'Dumb' comedies are supposedly much harder to make then people think. The most successful ones always have some sort of hook that makes them appeal beyond the superficial slapstick comedy that lies on the surface. 'Zoolander' had clever references to pop-culture and great cameos. 'American Pie' manipulated the dreams of American teenagers and used them as a basis for some memorable gags. 'The Other Guys' follows suit by using a variety of genre conventions to provide a surreal version of the traditional 'buddy-cop' movie.

In a similar vein to 'Cop Out' earlier in the year, 'The Other Guys' draws inspiration from popular 70's and 80's pop culture. Movies like 'Lethal Weapon' and television shows such as 'Starsky and Hutch' can be seen echoed throughout the film. In many ways, it feels as if various shots have been lifted straight from one of these older examples: flyover shots of the city are accompanied by moody jazz music and collateral damage is thrown around the screen with reckless abandon.

The actual storyline of the film is merely a framework for the gags to be delivered to the audience. Two underdog policemen try to solve a case despite the interference of the 'higher-ups'. The focus of the film is squarely on the character. Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell), a quiet paper-pusher in the office who avoids any and all action. His partner, Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlburg) was a promising young detective who fell from grace and resents his partner for his lack of ambition. The reconciliation and growth of these two characters are the crux of the film, with the events in the storyline acting as a catalyst for them to confront their own personal demons. Ferrell and Wahlburg both do well, ensuring that Allen and Terry are as different as possible whilst still remaining compatible with each other. There are many other noteworthy performances: Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson do well as the 'action hero cops', whilst Michael Keaton was possibly my favourite as a quirky police captain who moonlights as a manager for 'Bed, Bath and Beyond'. The cast is all experienced and work very well together, which is possibly the most important things for this type of movie.

'The Other Guys' won't win any awards. It is not landmark cinema. However, it isn't supposed to be. It is supposed to be that 'funny police movie' you see with your girlfriend. It is that movie you pick up on DVD when it drops to $20 at JB Hi-Fi. It is that movie that you seem to always watch when it is on TV. And in this, it succeeds.